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Haunting of Wychgarde
This is a summary of events that took place on Starday the 15th of Kuthona. Part 1 It is midday and the group is sitting to lunch at the Tavern with some old faces and some new, enjoying each others company. Anton Conteras shows up at the Gauntlet Tavern . Since the last time you met him (1 ) he has been secretly investigating the Hamlet of Wychgarde in order to determine why his sister used to visit it; considering its residents were evil. Conteras had his agents visit the Hamlet over several weeks as traders. The agents informed him that they believed all the residents were of military background and were intently focused on one of its residents. This particular man was named Orav Mot and they had learned he spoke to Anton’s sister regularly. With the recent events that affected the west coast, Anton lost contact with his people and he has become concerned. Remembering how you helped him clearing his sister’s name he now comes to you again for help as he believes something sinister is occurring. He offers them 20000gp in total for their efforts, with half now given to them in gems and the rest when they return. The group take little time to discuss as they are always ready to help those in need; plus the chance to investigate the hamlet had been sitting on their to do list for several months now. Part 2 The journey takes them well into the evening as many of the group were on foot. Upon arrival, but before they even enter the Hamlet they can see something is strange. No smoke, lights, no movement can be detected and the land is beginning to look overgrown with weeds and vines. There is something desolate about the place. Entering into the Hamlet reveals more desolation and feels abandoned. Suddenly several of the group are shaken by an impending sense of forboding, though they quickly manage to push through the feelings of dread and continue The Hamlet was home to a population of 40 people and the group, with the assistance of a light spell can see 10 buildings and a central well. Turning to their right they decide to search the hamlet in a anti-clockwise pattern, starting with the Blacksmiths. Peering through a single window they see a forge and living area which joins to another unseen room via a doorway. Half the party including the Goliath enter into the building looking about they notice some strange rattling noises coming from the adjacent room and a faint ethereal light. Moving cautiously they enter the next room. The rogue is hit with a painful headache and the party sees a spirit seemingly rise up from a pile of bones sitting in what appears to be a bedroom. The ghostly apparation takes the appearance of a sobbing dwarf wielding a ghostly hammer. An incorporeal screaming skull floats in the air nearby, its cranium laced with cracks and missing a knife-shaped shard of bone along the side. On the ground, the group see and hear three solid skulls scream and rattle. The sobbing dwarf swoops toward the Rogue and strikes him on the head with the hammer. The Goliath attacks the entity with his magic infused axe and after a few moments the apparation dissapates. Searching the rest of the building reveals some treasure and the Goliath takes the forge and blacksmithing tools; placing it all in his bag of holding. Leaving the building some of the group is again gripped with a sense of forboding and unease, despite this they shake it off and continue their investigation. The next building was the small inn/tavern, the characters carefully approached and peered through a window. A small room with eight cots was viewed, in six of the cots appeared to be bodies. No other details were gleaned so it was decided to send the ninja halfling in. The goliath lifted her up onto the roof of the building and she scampered across to the chimney. With great ease the ninja climbed down the shaft into a a large open oven, probably a communal one. moving quietly she headed to the sleeping area. It was clear before she got too close that the bodies were in fact skeletal remains in the cots. Meanwhile outside, ranger spotted a dark shape moving behind the ninja. Suddenly from the cots arose four malignant clouds of shadows boiling in the air, their skeletal maws eerily babbling as the creatures claws manifested from the darkness itself. Looking about the ninja spotted the creature behind her which looked like the things coming out of the cots. The Goliath and rogue burst through the side door as quickly as possible and weighed into the Allips. The cleric stricken with a panic ran off into the night. With their magic weapons the Goliath and Rogue did substantial damage, while the inquisitor, ranger and monk tried valiantly to hit something. Ducking and dodging, the ninja avoided near death and her ki charged shuriken gave her a fighting chance. The sorcerror added his own touch with some firey combat spells and the group won out in short order. A search of the building revealed some more treasure but nothing that helped them figure out what was going on. Therefore they moved to the next building along and as before they peered into any windows, whilst some investigagted the well nearby. The well was covered by an iron-bound timber grate and the sound of water could be heard flowing deep below. Inspecting it further there was a complicated locking mechanism as part of its design. Meanwhile those that were checking out the next building could not see any dangers and began entering. Inside they searched and found some more treasure and the place seemed to be have been once home to someone of import, however no other information could be found. As they continued around the hamlet they found much of the same, skeletal remains but sign of what may have happened. Although the Inquisitor and Ranger using their spells and understanding of anatomy discerned that the bones appeared to have been sitting for much longer than a few weeks, though there was no sign of weathering. Coming to the last of the smaller buildings, this one appeared to be a farmers hut and as before, the group peered through windows first to check for danger. Seeing none, some of the group entered. Suddenly the walls began to bleed and ghostly faces animated on the walls, unleashing nerve-wracking shrieks of terror and horror. Around the room items began to whirl and hurl themselves at the group. Several members were frightened and ran off through the hamlet. Those that were still outside had been unaffected, including the monk who with the Goliath inside attacked the shrieking wall. They managed to do enough damage to knock it and some roofing down, stopping the haunt and were fortunate enough that none of their companions were injured by the falling debris. As they looked about they realised that items were still being whirled around and things were smashing violently into them. The inquistior and ranger using their unique ablilities ascertained there were two sources of the whirling, one in the centre of the main room and one off to the right. Trying to avoid being hit and figure out what was going on, a grim skeletal figure appeared suddenly, fear washed over the group with another party member fleeing into the hamlet with fear. In the next instant it was invisible again as more objects were hurled at the remaining party members. The Goliath as usual solved the problem with some well placed hits of his magic great ax, dispersing the entity and causing everything to fall to the ground and go quiet. Searching the area they found nothing of use and headed towards the large house in the centre of the hamlet. The final building at two stories looked remarkably fine for a small hamlet, its walls were superior masonary and the main door made of heavy wood. There was the feeling however, it was not so much someones home as it was a prison. Unlike the other buildings there were no windows on this building and the group entered the front door with no knowledge as to what was to happen. In the first room it appeared to be a study of sorts, with a desk near the back wall, a number of books laying about, some look like journals and a skeletal form laying across the desk. Mathias the rogue not wishing to risk anything, smashes the skull as the rest of the group realise that it may have been Orav Mot. Unable to do anything about it they look through the books and journals where Ponsonby the Sorrceror stumbles upon the true nature of the place. He finds a last will and testimony that states that Orav Mot was actually Lord Thomas Varo De Grey, former Lord of Grey up until his mysterious disappearance over 5 years ago and the New Lords of Grey stepped in to take control. Tom had been prisoner in the Hamlet of Wychgarde, its citizens all agents of the Lords of Grey. Contained within he describes the circumstances of his imprisonment: For the first 3 years he was restricted to his own quarters. Then he was chaperoned for 6months by the hamlet residents whenever he left his home. For 18 months or so he had been allowed to come and go during the day with out escort but was still required guarding at night. During this time his only contact to the outside world were the occaisional supply wagon, trader or whenever the Woodward Helene Ayala (2 ) passed through. Over time he had managed to become friends to the Woodward and she often secreted books and magic tomes for him. 6 months ago whilst looking for ways to escape he came across a secret underground dungeon beneath his "prison". Contained within was a crypt dedicated to an ancient Duergar chieftain and a titanic Black Mana Crystal . Chieftain encased in crystal. Varo goes on to explain how the crypt contained ancient tomes with instructions for a ritual that would allow a person to overcome death. The tesimony goes into detail of his research on the crypt and that he intends to use the knowledge and black mana crystal to affect revenge on the Lords of Grey. At the end of the tesimony he signs off by saying he gives all his titles and worldly possesions to his only daughter, one Jessica Varo De Grey. It occurs to the group he may be referring to Jessica D'Corelean . Searching through the rest of the documents reveals Varos work deteriorate over the last few months, spiking after the death of Helene. From the day of Intervention onwards there is no more notes or records. As the some of the group searched for anything usefull, the ninja scouted the rest of the house but no treasure or dark creatures were encountered. Mathias, looking at the documents in the office, came upon a map of the crypt and discovered the secret entrance was only feet away from them in the room. Searching about he found it, not finding it trapped he opened it up. Leading down were a set of crudely made steps dug into the wall, it appeared as though they were not part of the original design and they presumed Tom Varo had built them himself. Part 3 Heading down the steps the group found themselves at the entrance of a wide corridor with smaller ones branching off at intervals, leading to a junction. Using the map they had found along with the books, journals and tomes they had collected from Varos study, they were able to find that there were two minor crypts dedicated to the Duergar chieftens lieutenents. They decided to start their search with them. Heading first to the left the saw footprints in the ancient dust and the Ranger was able to discern it was those of Tom Varo. Following the footprints they came to the first crypt which was locked. The group were able to gain entry (*notes do not show how, presumably the Rogue picked the lock. However its just as likely the Barbarion just knocked down the door). Inside here and the following crypt and altar rooms the group were able to piece together that there was some sort of dangerous trap on the main crypt. (*again notes do not show how but they were able to set off the trap knowing where it was and what it was going to do without harming themselves.) Entering into the main crypt they were locked in by a unseen force and a spectre of the Duergar Chieften appeared and attacked (*unsure how the fight went down but the group managed to survive). The creature defeated returned to the black mana crystal which they then shrunk and took with them. Not wishing to tarry they found nothing else of use and fled the dungeon and the Hamlet for the safety of Reveran. They later sold the black mana crystal to Mondain, not wishing to incur any curses or further hauntings. Epilogue The events as portrayed in this adventue are believed now to have occured in an alternate timeline Category:Quests